Amanda Dickey/Hardeeville Today City Councilman Mike Sweeney, Mayor Bronco Bostick and Councilman Scott Ready sit in on a council workshop May 22.

Five applicants were interviewed this week for the Hardeeville city attorney position.

City Councilman Mike Sweeney said council hopes to announce a hire by its Thursday meeting.

In Hardeeville’s council-manager form of government, council has the power to hire and fire the city attorney, the city manager and the municipal judge.

The city attorney is a permanent, part-time, two-year term position.

“We want to pick the one that can help us with everything,” Sweeney said. “We’re looking for someone with real estate experience and trial experience. We’re not going to be involved in a lot of lawsuits. We’re going to be involved in what ordinances say and stuff like that.”

Johnson has served as interim city manager since May after David Tedder resigned. In addition to serving as a Jasper County councilman, Johnson works as a private practice lawyer in Hardeeville.

“We have a lot of strong candidates that have applied, which is very exciting to see,” Councilman Scott Ready said. “The role of the city attorney would be someone who serves as our legal advisor. ... We’re looking for individuals that have municipal law experience so that they’re able to appropriately advise our council in proceedings related to the city’s business, mainly the state code of law.”

In addition to city attorney, Hardeeville must also must hire a permanent city manager, police chief and fire chief.

Council plans to conduct interviews for city manager in late June. The deadline for applicants to submit resumes position is June 20. For more information on submitting applications, contact the City of Hardeeville at 784-2231 or lpomarico@cityofhardeeville.com.